Here's Everything We Know About The Show HBO Is Making That Will Shred Silicon Valleyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/hbo-silicon-valley-2014-1/comments
en-usWed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500Sun, 02 Aug 2015 16:34:02 -0400Jim Edwardshttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d417816da8115167c79b52robertholtzMon, 13 Jan 2014 11:42:41 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d417816da8115167c79b52
I didn't FORGET "Idiocracy." That movie IS amazingly prescient (I'll give you that) but it is also a prime example of Judge's tendency to sometimes overstep the line of subtlety.
My exact experience with "Idiocracy" was for the first 25 minutes, I was enthralled with the premise and the execution and thought "This is genius!" but, by the last 25 minutes, I was eager for it to just end. The idea and the setup were brilliant but the execution just didn't survive standard feature film length.
I've re-watched the movie many times and even recommended it because the subject matter it addresses and the ambitious way it goes about addressing it is totally unique cinematically. There is no other film like it. But it is evident that all of the ideation and storytelling care and consideration went into the first half hour and then it just became a free-for-all in the writer's room.
If I am going to compliment Mike Judge's work, it will be for "King of the Hill" which had brilliant endearing characters and amazing subtlety and finesse. Great television is the creative use of restraint. It is defined more by what is NOT done than what is done. In TV terms, the movie "Idiocracy" doesn't just "jump the shark", it tries to jump the entire ocean.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d4139969bedddf22bd2f1frobertholtzMon, 13 Jan 2014 11:26:01 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d4139969bedddf22bd2f1f
Thanks for the kind words. Funny thing is I've been thinking about "Alphas" but two things kept me away at least initially:
1) In this case, Netflix beat Amazon on a political series with "House of Cards" which I realize is a remake but nevertheless it stands on its own. I'm more excited about Season 2 of "House of Cards" than I am season 1 of something similar.
2) The second reason is a bit superficial on my part, admittedly. I was dismissive of the show because I was dismissive of the name. Firstly, there already was a rather good show on SyFy called "Alphas" which is now cancelled but it still had great potential. I'd been hoping for a rebirth of it online. Second and related, the name seemed so arbitrary coming from the same studio as "Betas" -- it is literally like the shows were named "A" and "B".
Having said all of that, I adore John Goodman and your suggestion is going to push my interest over the top. I will check it out now thanks to you.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d40b8469beddd00ebd2f21Persephone Buttercups IVMon, 13 Jan 2014 10:51:32 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d40b8469beddd00ebd2f21
"...did extensive research ... a process that entailed watching several TED Talks, interviews and other footage."
Now that is some exhaustive research! (aka, an hour on the "inter-net".)http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d405e4eab8ea1d56bd2f23Mooh LeeMon, 13 Jan 2014 10:27:32 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d405e4eab8ea1d56bd2f23
I liked Office Space, but as someone of mixed race I find naming a black character "mochachino" highly offensivehttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d4022ceab8ea9651bd2f1dRusty ShacklefordMon, 13 Jan 2014 10:11:40 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d4022ceab8ea9651bd2f1d
You forgot "Idiocracy" - An amazingly prescient view of the not-too-distant future.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3f98d6bb3f714719d8911GonzoVeritasMon, 13 Jan 2014 09:34:53 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3f98d6bb3f714719d8911
This is exactly what I came here to say, but you stated it better than I would have. Betas has developed into a great show, in both the representation of working in the Bay Area tech sector and in its character development. Kudos to Amazon for this show.
They are also doing a good job with their political satire program "Alphas", written by Garry Trudeau of Doonesbury fame.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3eae2eab8ea6d1ebd2f1dMatt AucklandMon, 13 Jan 2014 08:32:18 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3eae2eab8ea6d1ebd2f1d
I doubt it will make it to the UK, well unless Channel 4 pick it up, but even then it will be on the late night schedule.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3a2bc69bedd527cb5455eJohn DoeMon, 13 Jan 2014 03:24:28 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3a2bc69bedd527cb5455e
Sounds really horrible. I give it less than a season before it dies.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d35167ecad049e0d1b7e85dknolaSun, 12 Jan 2014 21:37:27 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d35167ecad049e0d1b7e85
I think is just the right time for slapping the Bay Area Bitches around.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3296c69bedda65db54554sweetdougSun, 12 Jan 2014 18:46:52 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d3296c69bedda65db54554
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People will line up for the cameos, to be made fun of, thinking it's cool in that self-aware irony that pervades our culture, a kind of pop culture selfie in acknowledgement of how great they are in their own mind.
That is the perversity of the culture we live in, that people don't get that being a DB is actually being a DB.
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V-Vhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d30bf8ecad04e3061b7e89krypticSun, 12 Jan 2014 16:41:12 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d30bf8ecad04e3061b7e89
Unfortunately, there are relatively few black tech employes in the high tech industry in the Bay Area. Not zero, but surprisingly few.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d2f84aecad04fa5f1b7e83Cool BeansSun, 12 Jan 2014 15:17:14 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d2f84aecad04fa5f1b7e83
I lol'd at Mochachinohttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d2ee166da811af741b7e85robertholtzSun, 12 Jan 2014 14:33:42 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d2ee166da811af741b7e85
Amazon already has an original show with this exact premise running on it's Prime service. It is called "Betas" and it is exceptionally good. Ironically, my initial expectations about "Betas" was that it was going to be more of a jabbing caricature of startup life than reality but, at least in the case of "Betas", they genuinely are making great TV.
I like Mike Judge but he is an acquired taste. "Office Space" happens to be one of my all-time favorite comedy movies so I will give "Silicon Valley" a shot, but in terms of originality on the concept and great execution on that concept, in my view Amazon has already beat them to the punch several times over. "Betas" is Emmy-worthy. The first two episodes were a bit cartoonish but they had to establish the characters. As it progresses, the character development deepens. "Betas" gets better and better with each episode. It is unavoidable but so far "Silicon Valley" looks like a "Betas" knock off but with a lack of subtlety (at least in terms of those character names).http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d2ea1669beddc14bb54554crustybakerSun, 12 Jan 2014 14:16:38 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/52d2ea1669beddc14bb54554
sounds like a big bore to me.